The present invention relates generally to wrenches and, more particularly, the present invention relates to an indexible wrench that includes a handle which allows positioning of the handle with respect to the head of the tool in a plurality of locking positions in plane with the working surface.
The present invention has a wide variety of applications to hand tools. For example, the invention is useful for ratchets, multi-pivot handle tools, wrenches, adjustable wrenches, torque wrenches, as well as many other applications that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. The following description of the invention is directed to a ratchet embodiment to keep the description clear and readily understandable. Application of the invention to other tools will be readily apparent from the following description and drawings.
With the present invention locking and unlocking of the head is feasible with one hand. One embodiment of the invention includes a floating pin connecting the head to the handle of the tool, actuated up to unlock a splined joint. The handle of the tool is rotated into position and the pin is pushed down (from the top) to lock (engage) the splined pin. In this manner, the tool allows for speed ratcheting with the handle bent at 90.degree. and unlocked, or speed turning through a total of 360.degree..
The splined pin has a male spline on its external surface which has a number of radial reliefs in the spline area in contact with the handle. The head of the tool has a mating female spline. The handle of the tool also has radial reliefs (off set), allowing the spline to engage and disengage with a simple, small axial motion. In this manner, the tool allows for the head to lock in various increments through 360.degree. around a pivot axis. The splined pin remains enclosed within the head and handle joint which is preferable since foreign object damage may occur to the pin if it were exposed. The tool is compatible with a pear head design or a round head design.
The wrench includes a head, a handle connected to the head, a pin connecting the head to the handle, the pin extending through an orifice in the head and the handle, the pin adapted to reside in one of two positions, a locked position and an unlocked position, in the locked position the pin having male splines in a mating position with female splines and in the unlocked position the male splines of the pin being freely movable through a spline relief area of the orifice, wherein the handle is adapted to move through a total of 360.degree. with respect to the head and wherein the horizontal plane of the handle is in a continuously constant relationship to the horizontal plane of the head. The wrench can incorporate a ball detent in the pin in the locked position. The wrench can be a ratchet.
Another embodiment is a ratchet wrench including a ratchet head including a traditional ratchet for rotating a shank about an axis, a handle connected to the ratchet head, a pin connecting the ratchet head to the handle, the pin extending through an orifice in the head and the handle, the pin adapted to reside in one of two positions, a locked position and an unlocked position, in the locked position the pin including a portion having male splines adapted to engage female splines of the orifice, and in the unlocked position the male splines of the pin being disengaged thereby allowing the pin to be freely movable within the orifice, and wherein the handle is adapted to move through a total of 360.degree. with respect to the head and wherein the horizontal plane of the handle is in a continuously constant relationship to the horizontal plane of the head.
In another preferred embodiment, the invention includes one or more thrust gears on a pin which engages a splined orifice in the head of the tool. The thrust gear(s) is actuated by a push button or switch mechanism to engage the splines of the orifice. The wrench includes a head, a handle connected to the head, a pin connecting the head to the handle, the pin extending through an orifice in the head and the handle, the pin adapted to reside in one of two positions, a locked position and an unlocked position, in the locked position the pin having an extendible portion including male splines which may engage female splines of the orifice when in a locked position, and in the unlocked position the extendible portion being retracted, enabling the pin to move freely through the orifice, wherein the handle is adapted to move through a total of 360.degree. with respect to the head and wherein the horizontal plane of the handle is in a continuously constant relationship to the horizontal plane of the head.
Another embodiment of the tool includes a head, a handle connected to the head, a pin connecting the head to the handle, the pin extending through an orifice in the head and the handle, the pin adapted to reside in one of two positions, a locked position and an unlocked position, in the locked position the pin having at least one extendible thrust gear including male splines which may engage female splines of the orifice when in a locked position, and in the unlocked position the at least one thrust gear being retracted, enabling the pin to move freely through the orifice, wherein the handle is adapted to move through a total of 360.degree. with respect to the head and wherein the horizontal plane of the handle is in a continuously constant relationship to the horizontal plane of the head. The benefits described above with respect to the first embodiment are also found in this preferred embodiment.
The indexible wrench of the present invention is useful to tighten or loosen a fastening device where there is but limited access to the fastener in a circle around the fastener and where there is no access to the fastener at any substantial distance away from the fastener in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the fastener.